Horses To Watch:
Monmouth, Eric Solomon
Monmouth Park 7/23/21: Race 1: #8 Ageless Artist was probably the best horse in this state bred maiden special weight race for fillies and mares three year olds and up. She was last early after settling off the early pace. Mejia worked out a ground saving trip, while advancing down the backstretch. A hole opened at the top of the stretch, but he had to slam on the brakes and switch to the outside, while a tiring Moon Unit Zapper drifted out, causing her to check off heels. She was able to re-break, and she still finished with interest to be 3rd, beaten only a length and a half. She made an early move two starts ago, when backing up to finish 5th in her first start on this course. She’s a three year old filly who now has fourteen career starts, but she looks like she’s starting to figure some things out. I think she is playable next out at this level.
Monmouth Park 7/23/21: Race 2: #3 Bold Paynter did not get the greatest ride when facing optional claiming/starter allowance foes. He was too close to the early pace duel in the first part of the race. Perhaps that was because the projected speed inside of him never materialized. He looked like he was retreating, but he swung six wide off the final turn and finished with some interest to finish 4th, beaten a length and a half. Perhaps he was never comfortable being down on the rail, because he did show some acceleration once switched to the outside. Looking at the top three finishers, I don’t think this race will come back very fast for this condition. However, I think with a better ride, he could have won this race.
Monmouth Park 7/24/21: Race 10: #7 Beryl tried the dirt for the first time after three straight turf starts in maiden claiming company. I thought this race for $10K maiden claiming fillies and mares, going five furlongs on the dirt was one of the deeper fields at this level of competition at the meet thus far. She looked like it took her a furlong to get comfortable on the new surface, but she ranged up four wide and finished well to be 4th. I could play her back on the main track at 5 and ½ or 6 furlongs next out at this level.
Monmouth Park 7/25/21 Race 6: #4 The Ghost of N Y made his debut with $25K two year old maiden claimers here. He bobbled a bit at the start and spotted the field about four lengths after the first few strides. He moved well down the backstretch and finished with plenty of interest, but had no chance of catching the Kelly Breen second time starter, Just Leo, who was dominant going gate to wire. The Ghost of N Y was clearly second best, 4 and ½ lengths better than the third place finisher.
Saratoga, Nick Tammaro
7/21 RACE 7 - PREFECT - Shortening up in distance and dropping in class, this turf router was the only survivor of a vicious early pace over the inner turf. He wound up fifth but made a winning move in upper stretch only to tire late. He is one to take note of for this performance and to seek out either stretching back out or staying shorter in the same class level.
7/22 RACE 8 - MIA MARTINA - The inner turf was obviously far wetter than the designation of "good" would normally indicate, and jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. wrangled this filly back early. She wound up making a huge wide move around the far turn before flattening out late at a distance that is likely well beyond her best. A cutback in distance to a fast paced race would make her very appealing.
7/23 RACE 4 - JUST RIGHT - This one feels beyond obvious given where he finished relative to the other forwardly placed runners in the field. He missed by a flared nostril after chasing a hot pace that completely collapsed in upper stretch. Once a near stakes caliber NY bred, he is sure to be tough to handle at the same class level, or even back in the N2X ranks, with a slightly more patient ride.